I have used a few things as well as making my own spreadsheet on Excel, but now I use MONEYWELL on the Mac... got it through the App Store (but you don't have to have an account with the company or even be online to use it). I like it because it works almost like the envelope system and then you can track your spending according to your actual budget - For example, I can set it up to allow for $350 for groceries, $30 for dining out, and $50 for entertainment per month, etc.... then it lets you know when you have gone over your allotment for each category. If you go over, you must borrow from another category. Or, you can just simply track your spending in general, but it also lets you keep track of multiple savings accounts, credit card accounts, etc. I just love it! (and there are quite a few videos to watch if you need help.. it was a bit confusing at first.

We are really having trouble with names this time. The others seemed so easy! For a girl, we like Rowan, Willow, Viviane, and Layla. DD12's name means "queen of the open meadow" so it would be nice to have a tree name like Rowan or Willow to go with it... except we have a "W" last name, so maybe Willow would be too much.. For a boy, of course, I like Wyatt (but the W thing comes up again) - plus Dh is not all that enthused about it. I also like Zack, but we have a Z name and he is usually called "Z" for short. Other than that, we are at a loss.. my SIL took some of the names I like... Gunnar, Mason, Grant

UMM.. yeah.. DD has been monitoring the web and the Mugglecast podcasts (itunes - free- if you are interested...) trying to figure out what is going to happen tomorrow! The website is http://www.pottermore.com/ and it is supposed to open tomorrow morning or noon, London time I think.

#5 - Nov. 24th :D Due to Dh's deployment schedule the last few years, we usually have 4-6 babies being born in the troop right around the same time every other year.... makes it fun for everyone to go through it together! And now all of you are in the same boat...must have been a cold winter for eveyone:tongue_smilie:

Yes, I am sure that what you are saying is true. There is no way that they could deny something like that, especially since it is something they have paid in to. And yes, I'm sure they are just saying it for political impact at this point. I just wish I could figure out where they got that little tidbit of information from. I still can't find it in writing anywhere, so I just wish they'd get their facts straight...

DH and I laughed so hard during my last pregnancy at 35 and the doc actually wrote down the words "ELDERLY PREGNANCY." :confused: really?? Can we at least stick to the regular medical terminology? And, I am 38 and pregnant right now... I still feel as young and excited as I did with the first one. Do whatever you and your hubby feel is right...:D

Yes, still... not.a.word. Infuriating. Plus, I just saw this on the news - but can't find it in writing anywhere, apparently, there will be no "death" benefits paid out to any soldier's family if someone dies during this shutdown... can anyone verify this anywhere?? Because I really can't see any of the guys wanting to participate in their dangerous missions in the next few days if that is looming over their heads... how awful.

Here's the link to an article about Navy Federal. Looks like they are giving the full paycheck on the 15th. http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/navy-federal-to-advance-servicemembers-paychecks-through-april-15-1.140439

Yeah, can't find anything either at least not at USAA..

Thanks, see that's great information... I'm sending it off to my FRG gal - we usually have great relay of information through the FRG especially during deployment, but not a thing on this. This is the kind of information the guys over there need to hear . . they really don't need to be worrying about this stuff right now.

To all of you who are active duty ... has your spouse been briefed on any of this at work or have any of the FRG type groups been briefing families on what will be happening if this shutdown comes about and what kind of relief contingencies there might be (like for instance what you guys mentioned about Navy Federal and Navy/Marine Corps Relief, etc.)? I just talked to DH and even though most people are taking this thing in stride, he was concerned that the chain of command isn't passing any information down the line to the guys. They all just saw that their LES was already changed, and they have to find out all of their information from the internet ... just seems like there should be some kind of briefing for the soldiers on this stuff (especially when they are deployed!). I know they chain of command doesn't know everything about what is going on, but they could be relaying information so that people don't start getting upset - and the FRGs could be letting the families at home know about services on post, etc as they find out information. Just seems like a lot of stress could be eliminated if only there was some kind of dialogue going on - is anyone else's command relaying any kind of information down the line?

Yeah, I just saw that. Is this just precautionary or do they already know that this bill isn't going to get passed? I'm guessing that even if there is a deal struck, the LES isn't going to change, we are just going to get that extra week tacked onto the next paycheck - does that sound right?

Yes, we are essentially getting paid through the 22nd... I just really hope this doesn't drag on and on past that. It's not the money at this point - its the guys and gals that are deployed right now ... not a big morale booster. I am getting comments like, "Do we really want to be risking our lives if we aren't getting paid?" How can they expect them to go out on missions when they are worried that the SGLI might not get paid (I am not even sure about that one - just an example)? - - That's why I just can't see it happening. They will have to resolve this thing quickly or it is going to be rough on people, and not just financially.

Oh, and Mists of Avalon - I know that it was done as a miniseries or something, but I'd like to see it in a well done movie format.

:iagree::iagree::iagree: I think that maybe now, with all of the advances in technology, they could pull it off - - but it had to be someone like a Peter Jackson who was devoted to the books in order to get it right.

:hurray: That's great!!!! Unfortunately, I have 7 more and will be about 8 1/2 months preggers by then.... still not much teA for a while ... but I guess we know how to make some potent brews when we are together! :D

:lol: Thank you! 2nd deployment in 3 years makes for a low teA average! :lol:

I had had a few miscarriages before (all early), and with #4 Ds, I had heavy bleeding and cramping at around 8 weeks - so I thought that for sure we were done. Doc did too. After about a week, the bleeding stopped, so we went in for an ultrasound just to see if we needed a D&C or if I had cleared it all naturally - - and low and behold.... there was DS #4 with heartbeat chugging away... :confused: We were all confounded, including the doc.. we think that maybe it was a twin??? Anyway, I wouldn't lose hope yet ... but also, try not to stress too much! :grouphug::grouphug:

When we have been displaced without books before, we've just focused on the three R's. Reading/Writing - quality books from the library w/ narration or discussing plot, setting, etc. Math - We brushed up on the basics using worksheets and timed math games on the internet, my own made up worksheets and practice problems, everyday math in the kitchen/grocery store, etc., and even those little workbooks from Walmart and the like which have Basic Math Skills for 4th Grade or whatever. The library and Discovery/History channels were our best friend ... and then we just tried to really enjoy our family time together while going out in the town to zoos, museums, and such as much as possible! It is a tough situation for these folks, and we are all keeping them in our thoughts!

We are in the middle of a deployment right now, so ..... not a lot of anything brewing around here:glare:

Your neighbor must be related to my neighbor who called and asked us to keep our cat inside (she rarely leaves our 6 acres) even though her daughter had started calling it over and feeding it. :confused: The cat NEVER went over there before this started.

sound like a good idea :D just let us know where to go... btw, what is an "ning" site? I'm clueless

There could be links to these things, but with that, my opinion is that it would be nice to have articles written by actual homeschooling parents who use these different philosophies. When I was new to homeschooling, it took me forever to hunt down information on all of the different types - it would be nice to have everything on one website with no bashing of other philosophies allowed. :) I would be willing to write articles/content... whatever - or help out on an editorial team. :D However, I think that once we set up a mission statement, we need to discuss what kind of content we want to provide specifically... there have been so many good suggestions going around! Will we have different sections? Curriculum Junkies, Homeschooling on a budget, State guidelines, Day in the life of a/an __________ (unschooler, CM, Classical homeschooler, etc.), Extracurriculars, Sports and the Homeschooling family, Special Needs, Gifted, etc. etc.. the list could go on and on... depending on how big this gets, it seems like you would need someone to sort of "oversee" each section and then get together as a team with all of the "team leaders" to make sure everything stays on track. Does that make sense?

I think you have hit the nail on the head right there, actually :D Or something along that line at least..

Since I haven't been to a convention, this is how I would hope they would be... many, many vendors ... I can stop and look at their booth, but if their product does not apply to me, I would move on. Why couldn't there be a classical curriculum in between a representative from EPGY and someone who sells nature study programs? I would love to have that kind of choice. This is a good idea. I am someone who looks at all of these different companies and then chooses what I think will work for us, but it would be nice to have them all lumped together, so to speak.